Floor polisher



Jul 20,1926. 1,593,512

A. F. STEIERT ET AL FLOOR POLISHER Filed Dec. 18, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .Zunue- Ju y 20,1926. I 1,593,512

A. F. STEIERT ET AL FLOOR POLISHER Filed D80. 18, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 "53""? mass Patented July 20, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALOIS F. STEIERT AND OSCAR W. LINKE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AS- SIGNORS TO S. L. PRODUCTS COMPANY, A. CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

FLOOR IPOLISHER.

Application filed December 18, 1922. Serial No. 607,620.

Our invention relates to floor polishing devices, and the object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient device by means of which a polishing medium may first be applied to a surface and the surface thereafter rubbed to a high polish.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this nature comprising a reservoir for the polishing medium, from which the mediummay be expelled and applied to a surface in exactly controlled quantities.

A further object of the invention is to provide a polishing device from which the polishing medium may be expelled to permit its application to a floor or other surface by a simple pressure upon the polishing device either from the foot or hand.

In the attached drawings Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a device made in accordance with our invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22, Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 3-3, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4: is a longitudinal section illustrating a modification of the device;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5, Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section illustrating a still further modification of the device within the scope of the invention, and

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 77, Fig. 6.

With reference to the drawings, our device comprises essentially a container 1 for a polishing medium such as oil or wax preparation in liquid form. The container 1 in the present instance is substantially rectangular in form and has at each side a trunnion 2 by means of which a'handle 3 may be attached to the casing in such a manner as to permit oscillation of the casing from.

a position in which one of the faces parallels the floor, or other surface which it may be desired to polish, to a "reverse position. The handle 8 in the present instance comprises a pair of divergent spring arms 4, 4:, which at their. outer ends are apertured for the reception of the trunnions 2, 2, the arms being sprung over the ends of the trunnions andtheir natural resiliency being relied upon to prevent displacement of the trunnions from the apertures.

At each end of the casing 1 means is provided for se'curingto the casing a pair of pads or applicators 5 of felt or other suitable material for rubbing or treating a surface with the polishing medium, the attaching means in the present instance consisting of a pair of pockets 6, 6 into'which the applicators are inserted, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1. Also as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, the pockets 6, 6, have communication with the interior of the casing 1 through an aperture or series of apertures 7 which, in the present instance, are located in the end walls of the casing and at that corner of the latter at which the applicators 5, 5, are attached, the arrangement being such that the liquid polishing medium passing from the interior of the casing through the apertures 7 is absorbed into or passes over the surface of the applicators 5, and, with the casing in the position shown in Fig. 1, finds its way the apertures 7, this portion 8 when the said pressure is released returning to its normal position as shown in F igs. land 2.

The casing 1 is also adapted to carry a polishing pad 9 constituting further surface treating means, and this member in the present instance is in the form of a hood which is applied over that face of the casing which contains the element 8, the pad 9 extending over the sides and endof the casing and having apertures for the trunnions 2. As clearly indicated in Fig. 2, this pad is applied prior to the application of the handle 3.

Means is also provided for renewing the supply of the polishing medium in the interior of the casing, this means consisting in the present instance of a port positioned in the bottom of a recess 10 in that side of the casing opposite the element 8, the port normally being closed by means of a threaded plug 11, the head of which by reason of the recess 10 being well within the outline of the casing, and this recess 10 also functioning in eifect as a funnel to facilitate the pouring of the liquid polish into the casing.

The operation of the device will be apparent. With a quantity of the liquid polish in the casing and the applicators and pads attached in the manner described, the device in the position illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 8, may be placed upon the surface which it is desired to polish, and may be passed over this surface either by means of the handle 3, or by hand without the handle if desired. Pressure either of the foot or hand upon the, element 8 at the top of the casing results in the ejection of a portion of the liquid polish through the aperture 7 onto the applicators 5, which latter apply the polish in an even film to the surface over which they are passed. Normally there is no tendency of the liquid contents of the casing to How through the apertures 7, which are small and substantially blocked by th applicators 5, although there may be a sligh absorbent action of the pads tending to draw a small quantity of the liquid from the casing and to maintain the applicators in a moist condition.

After sufiicient of the polishing medium has been applied to the surface. the casing 1 may be reversed in the hand or on the handle by rotation upon the trunnions 2, so as to bring the pad 9 into contact with the waxed surface. The device may then be passed over the surface, with the result that the polishing preparation is rubbed into the surface and the latter given the polish.

Although the pad 9 and the applicators are preferably of a substantial wear-rem ing material, it will be apparent that the detachment from the casing either for replacement or for other purpose is an e?- treniely simple one, as also is the operatic of filling the casing with the liquid prepa tion and the attachment or detachment the handle 3.

In Fig. 4, we have illustrated a modification of the device in which the pocket for the applicator is eliminated. the applicators 13 being attached to the casing 14 by means of spring arms 15, 15, on the former which occupy suitable recesses 16, 16, in tl e opposite sides of the casing 1. In this i; the apertures 17 through which the i1 contents are expelled from the casing are in the end walls of the casing, and the liquid is either projected onto the applicators or directly onto the surface under treatment. It will be noted that in this instance. the applicators are not in direct contact with that portion of the casing occupied by the apertures 17, and there is consequently no tendency of the liquid to be drawn by absorption from the casing. In this instance, the passage of the liquid from the casing is controlled entirely by the flexible portion 18 of the casing which corresponds to the ired u an element 8 of the previously described device. In this instance, a pad 19 is employed similar to the pad 9.

It will also be noted in this instance that at one end of the casing, the applicator designated by the reference numeral 20 talrrs the form of a brush, and it is to be understood that any form of applicator found suitable to the special conditions under which the device is used may be employed.

In Fig. 6, a still further modification of the device is illustrated, in which there is a positive valve for the apertures through which the liquid polish passes to the ap- )llCSl'tOIS or to the treated surface. In this instance, a casing 21 is formed substantially similar to the previously described casing 1. being provided at its end with pockets 22, 22, for the applicators. In the present case, however, there is established in each of the pockets 22 a sliding member 2 which constitutes a socket for the applicators 2s: and 25 and which function also as valves for the apertures 26 provided for passage of the liquid polish from the casing.

Confined in the pockets 22, 22, between the bottom of the socket and the base of the element 23 are springs 2T, 27, which in the present instance are held in position by means of pins 28, 28, on the members 23, these springs being suiiiciently powerful to support the weight of the device in the position shown in Fig. 6 with the members in aperture-closing positions and tending to maintain the later members in this normal position imder all circumstances. The members 23 are closely fitted in the pockets 22 and are prevented from falling from the pockets when the casing is lifted from the spporting surface by friction and by the fact that the close fit within the pockets renders it difficult for air to pass between the sides of the members and the easing into the interior of the latter. It will also be noted that we have provided in each of the end walls of the casing an aperture or a series of apertures 29 which establish communication between the bottom of the pockets and the interior of the casing.

The operation of the device is substantially similar to the operation of the device previously described. In this instance, however, with the casing in the position illustrated in the drawings, pressure upon the top of the casing causes a movement of the members 23 and of the applicators which they carry towards the bottom of the pockets 22, with the result that the apertures 26 are uncovered and with the further result that the air occupying the pockets 22 is forced through the apertures 29 into the interior of the casing, thereby expelling a portion of the liquid contents through the uncovered apertures 26. It will be noted in this modification that although the device includes a positive valve for the discharge ports, the operation of the device is in its essential respects similar to the operation of the previously described devices, since in this case the inner portions of the pockets 22 may be considered a part of the interior of the casing, and pressure upon the casing results in a reduction in the effective internal area of the casing with a consequent ejection of the liquid contents through the discharge ports.

We claim 1. In a floor polishing device, the combination with a container having a discharge opening and a flexible wall constituting means for expelling a contained liquid polishing medium from the container, of means operatively connected with the container for treating a surface with the expelled medium.

2. In a floor polishing device, the combi nation with a container having a discharge opening and a flexible wall constituting means for expelling a contained liquid polishing medium from the container, of surface treating means connected with the container and projecting beyond that side thereof including the discharge opening.

3. In a floor polishing device, the combination with a container having a discharge opening in one side and on the opposite side a flexible wall constituting means for expelling a contained liquid polishing medium from the container, of surface treating means connected with the container and projecting beyond the side thereof including the discharge opening.

4. In a floor polishing device, the combination with a container having a discharge opening in one side and on the opposite side a flexible wall constituting means for expelling a liquid polishing medium from the container, of surface treating means connected with the container and projecting beyond both the side of the container including the discharge opening and the side including the flexible wall.

5. In a floor polishing device, the combination with a container having a discharge opening in one side and on the opposite side a flexible wall constituting means for expolling a liquid polishing medium from the container, surface treating elements connected with the container and projecting respectively beyond the sides thereof which include the discharge opening and the flexible wall, trunnions oppositely arranged on other sides of the container, and a bifurcated handle having journals adapted to receive the trunnions whereby the position of the container may be reversed in the handle.

6. In a floor polishing device, the combination of a casing having a discharge opening and pressure actuated means for decreasing the eifective internal area of the casing thereby to force a contained liquid from the discharge opening, with a floor treating element attached to the casing and adapted to lie in contact with the floor surface supporting the casing and to receive said discharged liquid.

7 In a floor polishin device, the combination with a casing having a dischar e opening, of a valve normally closing sald opening, pressure operated means whereby the valve may be shifted to uncover the opening, means for reducing the effective internal area of the casing to expel a contained liquid through the uncovered opening, and means operatively connected with the casing for treating a surface with the expelled liquid.

8. In a floor polishin device, the combination with a casing Iraving a discharge opening, of a valve carried by the casing and adapted normally to close said opening, surface treating means attached to the casing and adapted to contact with a surface supporting the casing, and pressure actuated means whereby the valve may be shifted in the casing to uncover the opening and whereby simultaneously the effective inter nal area of the casing is reduced.

9. In a floor polishing device, the combination with a flat sided container having a discharge opening and means for expelling a contained liquid therethrough, of a pair of pockets in the side of the container having the discharge opening, applicator elements detachably mounted in the pockets and projecting beyond the side of the container, and a hood fitting over the container from the opposite side and constituting polishing means.

10. In a floor polishing device, the combination with a container having a discharge opening in one side and on the opposite side a flexible Wall constituting means for expelling a liquid polishing medium from the container, surface treating elements connected with the container and projecting respectively beyond the sides thereof which include the discharge opening and the flexible wall, a handle, and means for pivotally attaching the container to the handle whereby the position of the container may be reversed to bring either of the surface treating elements into an operative position with respect to the floor.

ALOIS F. STEIERT. OSCAR w. LINKE. 

